Massage appliance



Oct. 26,1926. 1,604,146 C- .W. CHENEY MASSAGE APPLIANCE Filed March 301925 {8: I p n/2dr CfiarZe 2a 072871183 3% 0a; @m

Patented Get. 255, 1926.

CHARLES W. CHENEY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSAGE APPLIANCE.

Application filed March 30, 1925. Serial No. 19,230.

This invention pertains to that system of remedial treatment known asmassage and more particularly to apparatus useful in applying thetreatment mechanically.

Massage treatment is commonly practiced for its general tonic andsoothing effect upon the nervous system but is also frequently employedfor obtaining certain definite results, for example, the reduction ofexcessive weight.

In the latter case the patient is subjected to a process of vigorouskneading having as its immediate purpose the actual breaking down of thefatty tissues. This process requires great physical strength upon thepart of the operator and even the strongest operator quickly tires dueto the great expenditure of effort necessary to produce the results.Efforts have been made to devise mechanically actuated apparatus as asubstitute for the hands of the operator in performing the massageoperation and while such apparatus has been used successfully forcertain types of massage treatment it has proven of little worth forweight reduction purposes.

Experiment leads me to believe that most pronounced results areobtainable by the use of an applicator provided with projections orknobs having smooth, hard, flesh engaging surfaces, formed for exampleof highly polished steel, such knobs projecting to such a distance fromthe face of the applicator body or support as to produce deepdepressions or indentations in the flesh of the patient when appliedthereto. When such an applicator is rotated, the flesh between thesedepressions assumes the form of deep ridges or wrinkles whichprogressively advance as the applicator is rotated, while at the sametime the movement of the hard knobs over the surface of the skinproduces an appreciable rubbing or frictional effect tending to increasethe circulation of the blood in the skin tissue. ll hile good resultsmay be obtained with knobs whose flesh engaging surfaces are finedrelatively to the body of the applicator and to each other, I find thatwith such an arrangement the operator must exercise constant care inkeeping the plane of the applicator substantially parallel to the normalskin surface, as otl1erwise only a part of the knobs will engage theflesh. This results in an unbalanced force which makes it hard to holdthe applicator and properly to direct it over the surface of thepatients body, while at the same time the etiiciency of the device isgreatly decreased. Moreover, patients sometimes experience discomfortwhen such an applicator, having relatively immovable hard knobs, ismoved over parts of the body at which bones lie close to the surface.

With the principal object of improving applicators of the type firstdescribed, I have provided an applicator knob which, while having thesmoothly polished hard surface common to applicators of the preferredtype, is also resiliently yieldable with respect to the body orsupporting part of the applicator and relatively to adjacent knobs. llith this improved arrangement all of the knobs may simultaneouslyindent the flesh even though the body or support of the applicator beinclined relatively to the normal skin surface, while the resilientlysupported knobsaro capable of yielding when they encounter an underlyingbone or joint without bruising or otherwise injuring the patient.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an applicator providedwith a,

preferred form of knob embodying the present invention, together withmodified forms of such improved knobs.

in the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a massage apparatus, provided with anapplicator having the improved form of knob;

F 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. It;

Fig. 3 is a vertical diametral section illustrating one form ofapplicator knob and showing a fragmentary portion of the sup port orbody of the applicator;

Fig. l is a side elevation partly broken away and partly in section,illustrating a slightly modified and preferred form of applicator knob;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section, substantially at right angles to thesection of Fig. 4, showing the interior construction of the knob of Fig.i;

Fig. 'l' is a vertical section illustrating a modified form of knob andalso showing in section a fragment of the applicator body r support; and

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are similar vertical sections illustrating furthermodified forms of knob.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a casing forming thebody portion of the massage apparatus, such casing having a handle 2 andproviding bearings for a shaft 3. The casing is furnished with suitablegears (not shown) for connecting the shaft 3 to a shaft at substantiallyright angles thereto and which receives its motion from a flexible shaft4 driven by any suitable source of power.

The shaft 3 supports the applicator proper which as shown comprises abase 5, preferably in the form of a disk, which has a plurality of knobs6 projecting from its under surface. These knobs may be spaced in anysuitable manner, but preferably symmetrically with respect to the axisof the disk 5. A suitable arrangement is indicated in Fig. 2 althoughother arrangements may be employed if desired.

In accordance with the construction shown in Fig. 3, each knob comprisesa base 7, preferably in the form of an elongate solid cylinder having anattaching member 8 at one end. This attaching member may, as shown,consist "of a section of reduced diameter adapted to pass through anopening in the plate or disk 5 and to be headed over upon the upper sideof the latter, thus fixedly securing the base 7 to the disk 5 with theaxis of the base perpendicular to the plane of the disk. Other modes ofsecuring the base to the disk may be employed if desired.

The cylindrical base 7 constitutes a guide for a hollow sleeve 9 whichtelescopically fits over the base. This sleeve 9 is closed andpreferably of generally spherical curvature at its outer end. The sleeve9 is made of some hard. and wear resistant material, such for example asnickel-steel and its smoothly rounded end 10 is preferably given a highpolish.

The cylindrical base 7 is provided with a diametral axially elongateslot 11. A pin 12 is disposed within this slot, the opposite ends 7 ofthe pin being received in diametrally opposite apertures in the sidewall of the sleeve 9. Preferably the pin is somewhat less in length thanthe diameter of the sleeve 9 and at the plane of the apertures in thelatter the sleeve is furnished with an external circumferential groovein which a spring retainer ring 13 is seated. This ring overlies theopposite ends of the pin 12 and thus retains the latter in position,although by removal of the ring the pin may be displaced so as to permitthe sleeve 9 to be slipped off from the base 7.

Between the inner end of the sleeve 9 and the outer end of the base 7 aspring 14; is arranged. This spring is normally under compression andtends to move the sleeve away from the supporting disk 5, such movementbeing limited by the pin 12 engaging the outer end of the slot 11.

The knobs thus provided are yieldable in the direction of the disk orplate 5 so that when subjected to excessive pressure they may moveinwardly and thus avoid injury to the patient, while at the same timethe capability of the several knobs to yield relatively one to the otherpermits a more unifdrm action upon the patients flesh than would bepossible were the knobs rigidly supported.

In the preferred arran ement shown in figs. f to 6 inclusive the partsare in general quite similar to those shown in Fig. 3. The base portion15 of the knob is, in this instance, hollow, having an internal chamber16,-thus reducing the weight of the device. The sleeve 17 slides uponthe base 15 and the latter is provided with slots 18 and 19 in its sidewalls for the reception of the pin 20, whose opposite ends are disposedin apertures in the walls of the sleeve 17. This pin may be retained inposition in the .same way as the pin 12 of Fig. 3.

T i 7 a further modification is shown rue-h the base 21 guides thesleeve 22 having the closed and rounded outer end 23. The base isfurnished with a slot 2% for the reception of a pin 25 whose ends areseated in openings in sleeve In this instance the spring 26 isinterposed between the disk 5 and the edge of the sleeve 22. Such anarrangement has certain advantages, although it is preferred aspreviously described to arrange the spring within the sleeve.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 the base 27 of the knob is providedwith a portion 28 of reduced diameter which is attached to the disk 5,and sleeve 29 slides upon the main part of the base 27 and its open endis internally screw-threaded engage ment by a threaded retaining ring 30which engages the shoulder 31 at the junction of the main part 27 of thebase with the Jart 28 thereof so as to limit outward movement of thesleeve 29. A spring 32 within the sleeve tends normally to move thelatter away from the disk 5.

In the construction of Fig. 9, the base 33 of the knob guides the sleeve34, the latter being provided with a spring 35 which tends to move itaway from the disk 5. In

this instance the sleeve 34 is provided with oppositely disposed axiallyelongate slots 36 and 37 in its side walls and a pin 38, projecting atits opposite ends from the base 3, enters these slots and limits outwardaovement of the sleeve. This pin may be retained in position in any.suitable manner as for example by means of a set screw 89.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 10 the base 40 guides the sleeve41 which tends to move outwardly under the action of spring 42. In thisinstance the sleeve is furnished with elongate slots 4:3 and 14: for thereception of the heads 45 and 46 respectively of screw-threaded pinshaving threaded engagement with a diametral opening in the base 10. Inthe arrangement shown in Fig. 11, the base 17 furnishes a guide for thesleeve 48 and in this case the base is furnished with a circumferentialaxially elongate groove 49 into which project pins 50 and 51 havingscrew-threaded portions engaging threaded openings in the side walls ofthe sleeve 48.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 8 and 11 it is possible for the sleeveto rotate about the axis of its base, while in the other arrangement thesleeve is non-rotatable. While in some instances it may be desired toemploy a sleeve capable of rotation, I prefer to use a sleeve whichcannot rotate, as the frictional effect of such a sleeve is morepronounced than when the sleeve is free to rotate.

lVhile in Fig. 1 I have indicated the knobs 6 as all of the constructionshown in detail in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, it is to be under stood thatknobs of any of the types herein shown may be employed and that varioustypes of knobs may, if desired, beapplied to the same support or disk 5.

I further contemplate that certain advantageous results may flow fromthe employ ment of the combination of yieldable knobs, such as hereindisclosed with non-yielding knobs and I regard such an arrangement asfalling within the spirit of the invention.

While as herein illustrated the base member of the knob is ofcylindrical construction, 1 wish it to be understod that such anarrangement is not necessary, as any construction providing for yieldingof the applicator surface relatively to the disk or support 5 isregarded as falling within the spirit of the invention, although Iprefer to employ the cylindrical base as providing a relatively cheapconstruction giving very good results.

V hile l have illustrated various arrangements of resilient knob, I wishit to be understood that the invention is not in any way to be limitedto the exact forms shown, as doubtless other modifications andequivalent arrangements may from time to time be devised.

I claim:

1. In a massage appliance of the kind having a rotary shaft and asupport carried thereby, a knob projecting from the supporteccentrioally of the shaft, said knob having an elongate base membersecured at one end to the support, said base member having an elongatetransverse slot therein, a slide member engaging the base member, saidslid-e having asmooth flesh engaging surface at its outer end, a springtending to move the slide relatively to the base away from the support,and means carried by the slide and engaging said slot to limit outwardmovement of the slide.

2. A massage applicator knob comprising a cylindrical base supported atone end, a cylindrical sleeve telescoping over the outer surface of saidbase, the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve merging into asmoothlyrounded spheroidal closed end surface, one of said parts having anaxially elongate slot and the other having an element engaging said slotto limit relative movement of the parts, and a spring tending to movethe sleeve outwardly away from the supported end of the base.

8. A massage applicator knob comprising a cylindrical base supported atone end, a sleeve telescoping upon the base, the sleeve having a closedand substantially spherical outer end, the base having an axiallyelongate diam-etral slot and the sleeve having diametrally opposedapertures, a pin extending through the slot in the base and having itsends positioned respectively within the apertures in the sleeve, meansretaining the pin in fixed relation to the sleeve, and means tending tomove the sleeve away from the supported end of the base.

1-. A massage applicator knob comprising a cylindrical hollow basesupported at one end, a cylindrical sleeve telescoping over the outersurface of the base, the outer part of the sleeve merging smoothly intoa spheroidal flesh engaging end surface, a spring within the sleevetending to separate said members, the wall of the base member having anelongate slot therein, and a removable pin normally engaging the sleeveand the slot in the base member to limit relative movement of saidparts.

5. A massage applicator knob comprising telescoping cylindrical members,one of said members having a slot and the other having a removable pinextending into said slot, and means normally retaining said pin inposition, one of said members consisting of a hollow shell of hardenedsteel whose cylindrical surface merges at its outer end into a smoothlyrounded polished spheroidal end surface.

6. A massage applicator knob comprising an elongate base supported atone end, a sleeve telescoping upon the base, a pin having its oppositeends seated in opposed aligned openings in the sleeve, the central partof the pin extending through an axially elongate slot in the base, saidsleeve having a circumferential groove, and a spring ring seated in thecircumferential groove in the sleeve and covering the outer ends of saidopposed openings to prevent accidental displacement of the pin, saidsleeve having a closed outer end.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this twenty seventh day of March,1925.

CHARLES W. CHENEY.

